Argie wrote:I've read the previous postings with interest... partial truths and wishful thinking cannot actually describe the dreadful operations performed by certain country rulers, their 'security' men, or by some of their supporting clique of beasts.

Thank you for taking the time out to respond Sal ...

I agree with your points on the rulers of countries, their 'security' staff/military machines and cliqué of supporters. For censorship to truly have an effect, it must be imposed by what would appear to any genuine opponent of a brutal school of thought/regime to be a force or wall of condecension and derision at the very least. Mayhem and murder always looming and controlled by the state. It would be an easy task then to keep up a continued censoring or hostile front. Any time anyone opposed to their policies/schools of thought/regime spoke out, the tireless and unending force or wall of contempt would move to counter-attack (if attack is the right terminology to use when describing anyone exercising freedom of speech).

Argie wrote:To my humble opinion, censorhip is the very last resource that coward, cruel or incompetent rulers, or a mixture of these heinous attributes, impose their societies' media to get away with government sins against democracy, once all other criteria proved useless,

That's debatable to a certain extent though Sal. Sometimes censorship can be the only device necessary when run in tandem with accounts of prior brutalities by a ruling force/military regime. Basically fear-mongering. Don't we see this on several television news channels daily? I'm not sure what things are like in Argentina where you live currently, but we are being herded towards sheer terror of anyone who may be an Islamic extremist or hold views contrary to those being projected by the ruling elite. If enough people believe they will suffer by opposing the 'state' and those 'governing' them and continually lying to them, or speak out in any way, military enforcement will become more and more commonplace. Media will cover more and more items where the ordinary everyday things of life become less and less important as we are all bombarded with security alerts and footage of 'our' militaries 'doing-a-fine-job' protecting us. What ends up playing out is a powerlessness and silent, weary population living under real and state run/sanctioned terrorism.

Argie wrote:say keep VAT inspectors 'living' at the offender's premises; scrutinise the offenders' past life to disclose to public whatever findings are discovered; put a light to offenders' homes in the middle of one subzero winter night, preferably with its sleeping occupants inside or, as a last resource, physically eliminating by sword and mantle, or via a prepared 'accident', whatever remaining chunk of oppositon they may have, that had obviously passed unscathed all previous instances. When neither of the above prove useful, these rulers close the book and try with another book describing the deeds of a short-moustached German corporal of the late thirties and very early fourties who, apparently, had a fearful collection of easy recipes which he used to keep all German citizens at first, and later half the world's, under his high, bloodstained black patent leather boots.

So many manouvres implimented to keep those without power; 'without power.' Our lives becoming more frequently lived either under the heel of our governments or the preposterous notion that they care about us. They don't and most of them also know that even their 'democratically elected' have careers that run for such a short period of time that they cram in as many exercises in control as they can, more in a bid to sop up the time and resources of whoever is next 'democratically elected.' Swings and roundabouts...

Argie wrote:We're used to watch the performance of these 'tactics' in Argentina, and it is perhaps the deep knowledge we've learnt about our rulers' foul play that 'my humble opinion' should I've rather given its true name, i.e. Dreadful Experience Of A Common Citizen.

Cheers

My point exactly Sal. Censorship is the ability of a government, its military machine and indeed if one reads the rest of this thread above, even supposedly oppositional media activists, campaigners and groups (probably on their payroles) so comfortable that to move and oppose any ruling elite properly or speak out for the 'common citizen' would be a pointless act to begin with. Thus furthering the censorship of entire populations of 'common citizens'/individuals.

As soon as you've read the title above you imagined what would my next move be, didn't you?

Was BS an act of censorhip? You should know beter than most...

Sorry to disturb you but I feel it was one of the fiercest acts to cut down with a public expression of discomfort.

Well, it was a definite censorship of the lives of the people murdered by the British army that day. A censorship of the families and friends of the victims too. They were never going to have good times or further memories to celebrate of those people who were shot. I would say post traumatic stress disorder and unending grief were what most of them faced. Then of course there is still the ongoing campaign for justice and truth about Bloody Sunday. Britain still has to openly admit and apologise / compensate all those affected. Until then there is the censorship brought about by a lack of faith in the British legal system.

Following the events of Bloody Sunday and the later years when I was young and growing up here there was also a more sinister or subliminal form of censorship. That of the silence of self-censorship. Frequently we had to 'mind our p's and q's' when in public. Many employers were from more affluent backgrounds and identified as 'British'. Being vocal against the British military or the RUC (the former sectarian police service of Northern Ireland) could have resulted in a loss of employment. Then of course there was always the very real risk that if we became vocal to the point of 'taking to the streets' there was the danger we would be shot at by the army or police. So, frustrations mounted and silence festered.

These days things have changed. There are more and more Irish employers in Northern Ireland. American companies like Seagate operate out of Derry, but sadly Raytheon are also here. Raytheon are a company who make software for the guidance systems of missiles. A while back some activists marched on Ratheon and gained access to the building. They have become known as the Raytheon 9. They held a siege and destroyed computers that may have contained the data to design / guide these missiles. The upshot of this was that the PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) arrested and held them under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. I believe this charge was later reduced to criminal damage, but the Prevention of Terrorism Act too is a form of censorship in that it denies the arrested person the right to appeal for compensation or legal costs if proved innocent. It will be interesting to see how this one pans out and whether all charges are dropped. One of those arrested is a well known activist, campaigner, columnist, journalist, SWP (Socialist Workers Party) politician and writer; Eamonn McCann.

I watched a brilliant 2003 movie directed by Christopher Hampton this weekend called; Imaging Argentina adapted from a novel by Lawrence Thornton, starring Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson. I now have a fuller understanding of the nightmare visited upon your people between 1976 and 1983. I would really welcome any poetry, thoughts or writing you may have on this time in your history Sal.

In the film Emma Thompson plays Cecilia Rueda, a journalist who speaks out against many of the government's injustices being carried out on Argentinian people. As a result she becomes one of The Disappeared. She is taken in broad daylight from the home she shares with her daughter Teresa Rueda and husband Carlos Rueda (Banderas) a theatre owner/musician. She is interrogated, raped and further tortured by several soldiers 'guarding' her.

All the time she is away Carlos Rueda has visions of what she is enduring. He also has insight into the fate of many of the other Disappeared and gives their families and loved ones details on where they are, when they will return or indeed if they will return at all. Spies are sent to infiltrate the meetings where he shares these visions and gives hope. To further his torment his daughter is also taken and disappeared. There is a heart-breaking scene set in Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aries as he marches with the Mothers of the Disappeared when he realises or sees what has happened to his daughter. His psychic gift or insight a metaphor of the 'truth' which will never be erased and will always be known in the minds of people who went through this.

In the end credits of Imagining Argentina there are totals (at 2003) of people both in Argentina and other countries where fascist governments and their paramilitary armed thugs/secret police/soldiers have taken or 'Disappeared' people. I considered the kidnapped victims currently being illegally detained in Guantanamo Bay under the Extraordinary Rendition program, the victims of Internment and H-Block in Northern Ireland's recent history under British military rule and all those who faced the horrors of the concentration camps run by the Nazis.

While composing this post I visited a few links in a bid to further understand what happened in Argentina;-

All of these people are victims of censorship because the various governments of the world would rather deride, jail, murder, silence or take (disappear) them, their art, journalism and their voices, than comply with basic civil and human rights which embrace equality and freedom of speech for all.

In closing this post I would like to add a link to the song - Mothers of the Disappeared by U2 from their 1986/87 album; Joshua Tree (recently remastered and with bonus tracks; U2 - Joshua Tree - Deluxe Editionscheduled release date; 26th May, 2008). This particular video clip acknowledges the Madres de Plaza de Mayo and the Disappeared victims of Argentina. Mothers of the Disappeared is the closing track on Joshua Tree and was how I first became interested in the work of Amnesty International while living and working in London in 1987 to the present day.

There is a new film being screened at Cannes Film Festival this year called; Hunger. It is the story of the last few days and weeks of Irish Republican Hunger Striker Bobby Sands played by German/Irish actor Michael Fastbender.

Steve McQueen who directed Hunger recalls (in an interview with the BBC) his early days growing up and how Bobby Sands became engrained on his memory and how he wanted to portray the realities of the Irish Republican / Nationalist Hunger Strikers. Hunger is being tipped for the prestigious award of Camera D'Or at this year's festival and it is believed it will cause quite a controversy when it goes on general release because of the nature of its sometimes brutal and unreserved storyline. To learn more about the Sands film premiere at Cannes and to watch an interview with the director; Steve McQueen about Hunger. Go to the BBC NEWS / Entertainment link directly beneath this paragraph: